Not Doing This Alone
by Arthursmol
Summary: How Romione help each other heal after Fred's funerals.


**I don't own any of the HP characters, they all belong to JK.**

**UnBETA'd as my lovely BETA has returned to college. If you spot anything, please let me know.**

**How Romione help each other heal after Fred's funerals.**

It felt like it hadn't stopped raining for days. Hermione was sure there had been a break in the stormy weather, but to her, and everyone else right now, it felt that the world was crying with them. They had laid too many friends down in the ground in their final resting places over the last week. They had cried too many tears. They had attempted to comfort too many family members, friends and loved ones left behind. They had become almost numb. That was until yesterday's funeral, where she held Ron up whilst he sobbed at the side of his own brothers grave.

But now she sat alone on the window seat. Her knees pulled up to her chin, staring at the rain pouring down the window of Ginny's room. Ron had been kind with his words, but it still hurt. She understood fully. Why would he want to start any relationship with a woman right now? Let alone plain old Hermione? He needed to be with his family, with his Mum and his brother. They all had to help repair Hogwarts. They all needed to support the Wizarding world. And she needed to find her parents. They couldn't focus on themselves right now. It wasn't that Ron had completely turned her down. He had been so sweet. He had said that he had already hurt her once too often and he really didn't want to hurt her again. And he couldn't promise, with the way he was feeling right now, that he wouldn't say or do anything that may hurt her again.

A cold wind blew through the trees and she pulled the thin cardigan that was too small for her now closer to her, wincing at her own movements. She still had wounds from the battle and from Malfoy Manor that needed to heal. In places she had bruises on top of bruises. But she didn't regret any of them. These bruises meant that she, Ron and Harry had battled hard to save the Wizarding world and each other. Ginny had told her that Harry had yet another lightning scar and a bruise covering half of his chest, a trophy of what exactly he had sacrificed, so she thought the few cuts and bruises she had were nothing in comparison. She did let a little smile play across her lips as she wondered how Ginny had found out that Harry had such a scar on his chest. But then she felt a stab of pain as she thought how they had found each other after the war, yet Ron had pulled further away.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, before she caught her reflection in the window. She frowned and sat up straighter. She wasn't going to let herself wallow in self pity. Fair enough Ron wasn't sure what he wanted right now, but he still needed her as a friend. She also still had to work with the ministry to retrieve her parents' memories and return them home. Kingsley said that it might take a while but they would support her. She pulled her shoulders back and swung her legs down. Taking a deep breath, she made the move to stand up.

As she did so the bedroom door swung open slowly and a red head peeked in. Hermione looked up and into those deep blue eyes she had shed a tear over a moment ago.

He managed a small smile.

"Hey" He said

She smiled back at him

"Hey"

He padded quietly across the room, ending up standing in front of the window seat where Hermione was balanced between the actions of sitting and standing.

He seemed to sway backwards and forwards on his heels. Hermione tried to catch his eye, but he stared intently down at his bare feet.

Hermione's resolve to do something dissolved as she saw his slumped shoulders, the paleness of his skin and the dark patches under his eyes.

She stood up, reached out her arms and pulled him to her but soon felt herself falling back into her seat as Ron allowed his whole weight to collapse on her. They crumpled together into a heap with Ron curled up, his head in her lap, sobbing. Hermione held him and allowed him to cry himself out. The urge to pull him closer and to run her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck were overwhelming, but she needed to respect that he didn't want that right now. He needed her to be a friend and nothing more.

After a while the tears subsided. Hermione could feel Ron's breathing evening out, the hiccups that staccatoed his crying lessened and soon the only sound filling the room was the rain hitting the window outside. She expected him to move away, maybe even leave the room, but instead he stayed curled up in her lap. Gradually Hermione allowed her hand to run circles on his back in a comforting motion and she was relieved when he didn't object.

The rain fell harder and a strong gust of wind rattled the window pane. Ron lifted his head from Hermione's lap and stared out of the window for a moment before turning to look at Hermione. The deep blue eyes were even deeper from all the crying.

His eyes roamed over her face. She felt herself holding her breath as he began to edge closer to her. His eyes glanced down to her lips before he gently lent in.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I was wrong. I do need you. I can't do this alone." She looked into his eyes as he broke the small distance between them. "Please?" he asked.

And as she leant forward so that her lips briefly brushed against his, Hermione knew that as much as he needed her, she needed him too.

**Thanks for stopping by and reading. **


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